Hamilton Employment Law

Ed Canning has been practicing exclusively in the areas of employment law and human rights for 23 years in the City of Hamilton, representing both employers and employees. For 20 years, he has been writing a bi-weekly column in The Hamilton Spectator on employment law and human rights issues that are of interest to both employers and employees. In this blog, you can have access to approximately 500 articles on various subject matters ranging from Employment Standards Act issues, wrongful dismissal issues to human rights issues.

QUESTION: I have a ten-year employee who has been off for almost three years as a result of a car accident after work hours. The disability insurer is still paying her because it deems her to be totally disabled. Can I end the relationship now or will that get me in trouble?

Today in Ontario workers get 10 personal emergency leave days a year. Two of them are paid, the other eight are not. Employers are not permitted to ask for a doctor’s note to justify any of the first ten days of absence in any calendar year.

QUESTION: I have been a salaried sales representative with my company for four years. Yesterday I got a letter telling me that as of the end of December, (3 months from now), I am going on straight commission with a whole new compensation plan. Do I have any rights here?

QUESTION: I am trying to return to work from a disability leave. I gave the employer a gradual return to work program provided by my doctor. They are telling me that I have to go and see their own doctor so they can get their own report. The release the doctor sent me does not limit what the company doctor can tell the employer about my personal medical situation. Do I have to sign it?

QUESTION: After five years of employment, last week my boss finally pushed me too far. For no apparent reason, he refused to allow me to take an extra vacation day on Thanksgiving weekend. It seemed like he was being petty to me and I told him I quit and went home. The next morning after I had cooled down I sent him an email telling him I didn’t really mean it and wanted to return to work. He said don’t bother. Now it looks like I get no severance and no Employment Insurance. Am I out of luck?